Yes / This article is an editorial for the special focus theme issue on “hair research” published by the Experimental Dermatology journal. Here we introduce the articles from the special issue and pose a few questions. The full list of publications for the hair research special issue is available on the Journal’s web site. Many of the articles can be viewed free of charge on the web site. This is for; Experimental Dermatology, Volume 29, Number 3, published March 2020.

Primary scalp alopecia is classically divided into cicatricial (scarring) and non-cicatricial (non-scarring). Challenging cases are assessed with a scalp biopsy. The use of both horizontal and vertical sections (HoVert sections) has dramatically improved the accuracy of histopathological diagnosis. In this work, we have used immunostaining to address diagnostic difficulties, which persist despite all currently available tools. We performed an immunostain panel (CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD20) in order to distinguish pattern hair loss from alopecia aerate in cases which do not have the usual peribulbar lymphocytic infiltrate and showed that CD3+ T-lymphocytes within the empty fibrous follicular tracts favor a diagnosis of alopecia areata. We performed CD123 in order to distinguish lichen planopilaris from alopecia lupus erythematosus in cases with only a superficial lymphocytic infiltrate and an uninvolved interfollicular epidermis and showed that clusters of CD123+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells favor a diagnosis of lupus erythematosus. We performed cytokeratin 15 in order to assess whether the loss of the follicular bulge stem cells has diagnostic value in cicatricial alopecia and demonstrated that the loss of cytokeratin 15+ bulge stem cells is identified in lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosing alopecia, and lupus erythematous, so cytokeratin 15 has no diagnostic value. We have attempted to integrate the new concepts and our findings into the traditional classifications of alopecia and proposed a new diagnostic algorithm. In conclusion, immunostaining combined with HoVert grossing advances the accuracy of histopathological diagnosis of primary scalp alopecia. / L’alopécie primitive du cuir chevelu est habituellement classée en cicatricielle et non-cicatricielle. Dans les cas difficiles, la biopsie du cuir chevelu peut aider au diagnostic. L’utilisation de coupes, à la fois verticales et horizontales sur le même spécimen (technique HoVert), a radicalement amélioré le diagnostic histopathologique. Dans ce travail, nous avons utilisé l’immunohistochimie pour évaluer les difficultés diagnostiques qui persistent malgré tous les outils actuels. Nous avons utilisé les CD3, CD4, CD8 et CD20 pour différencier l’alopécie androgénique de la pelade dépourvue de l’infiltrat lymphocytaire péribulbaire habituel et nous avons démontré que la présence de lymphocytes CD3+ dans les travées folliculaires fibreuses est en faveur de la pelade. Nous avons utilisé le CD123 pour différencier le lichen plan pilaire du lupus érythémateux alopécie avec infiltrat lymphocytaire superficiel et sans atteinte de l’épiderme interfolliculaire et nous avons démontré que la présence d’amas de cellules dendritiques plasmacytoïdes CD123+ est en faveur du lupus érythémateux. Nous avons utilisé la cytokératine 15 pour évaluer si la perte des cellules souches du bulge a une valeur diagnostique dans l’alopécie cicatricielle et nous avons démontré que cette perte s’observait de manière identique dans le lichen plan pilaire, l’alopécie frontale fibrosante comme dans le lupus érythémateux et n’avait donc aucune valeur diagnostique. Nous avons tenté d’intégrer les nouveaux concepts et nos données dans les classifications traditionnelles des alopécies et nous avons élaboré un nouvel algorithme diagnostique. L’association des immunomarquages avec la technique HoVert ouvre de nouvelles perspectives dans le diagnostic histopathologique des alopécies primaires du cuir chevelu. / Doctorat en Sciences médicales (Médecine) / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is heterogeneous in nature and can be complicated by inflammation and scarring in the subarachnoid space (arachnoiditis). The constellation of traumatic injury and arachnoiditis can lead to extensive intraparenchymal cysts or post-traumatic syringomyelia (PTS), due to alterations in fluid flow and pressure dynamics in the subarachnoid space. Hypothesis: Intrathecal injection of a bioengineered hydrogel containing hyaluronan (HA) will improve functional recovery following severe spinal cord injury associated with arachnoiditis. Methods: Acute to subacute pathophysiological events were characterized in non-injured sham rats, rats receiving a clip compression/contusion injury (SCI), rats receiving an intrathecal kaolin injection (Arachnoiditis) and in rats receiving SCI plus kaolin injection (PTS). Next, a HA containing hydrogel (HAMC) or artificial cerbralspinal fluid (aCSF) control was injected into the subarachnoid space 24 hours following PTS injury. To assess treatment efficacy, subacute pathophysiology was assessed as was long-term neurobehavioural and neuroanatomical recovery. Finally, in vitro studies examined the effect of HA on TLR4 activation using lipopolysaccharide in primary rat microglial cultures. Results: PTS animals exhibited a greater parenchymal injury response as compared to the sum of SCI alone or arachnoiditis alone. Injection of HAMC reduced the extent of scarring and inflammation in the subarachnoid space and improved neurobehavioural and neuroanatomical recovery relative to aCSF controls. These improvements were associated with reduced chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and IL-1α expression and a trend towards and axonal preservation. In vitro studies demonstrated that HA is capable of reducing TLR4 mediated inflammation in microglia. Conclusions: Acute arachnoiditis potentiates the intensity of intraparenchymal inflammatory and scarring events following SCI. When HAMC was injected intrathecally following PTS injury, it mitigated some of the pernicious effects of arachnoiditis. Part of the therapeutic action of HAMC can be attributed to the ability of HA to reduce TLR4 mediated inflammation in microglia, possibly through an extracellular mechanism.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is heterogeneous in nature and can be complicated by inflammation and scarring in the subarachnoid space (arachnoiditis). The constellation of traumatic injury and arachnoiditis can lead to extensive intraparenchymal cysts or post-traumatic syringomyelia (PTS), due to alterations in fluid flow and pressure dynamics in the subarachnoid space. Hypothesis: Intrathecal injection of a bioengineered hydrogel containing hyaluronan (HA) will improve functional recovery following severe spinal cord injury associated with arachnoiditis. Methods: Acute to subacute pathophysiological events were characterized in non-injured sham rats, rats receiving a clip compression/contusion injury (SCI), rats receiving an intrathecal kaolin injection (Arachnoiditis) and in rats receiving SCI plus kaolin injection (PTS). Next, a HA containing hydrogel (HAMC) or artificial cerbralspinal fluid (aCSF) control was injected into the subarachnoid space 24 hours following PTS injury. To assess treatment efficacy, subacute pathophysiology was assessed as was long-term neurobehavioural and neuroanatomical recovery. Finally, in vitro studies examined the effect of HA on TLR4 activation using lipopolysaccharide in primary rat microglial cultures. Results: PTS animals exhibited a greater parenchymal injury response as compared to the sum of SCI alone or arachnoiditis alone. Injection of HAMC reduced the extent of scarring and inflammation in the subarachnoid space and improved neurobehavioural and neuroanatomical recovery relative to aCSF controls. These improvements were associated with reduced chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and IL-1α expression and a trend towards and axonal preservation. In vitro studies demonstrated that HA is capable of reducing TLR4 mediated inflammation in microglia. Conclusions: Acute arachnoiditis potentiates the intensity of intraparenchymal inflammatory and scarring events following SCI. When HAMC was injected intrathecally following PTS injury, it mitigated some of the pernicious effects of arachnoiditis. Part of the therapeutic action of HAMC can be attributed to the ability of HA to reduce TLR4 mediated inflammation in microglia, possibly through an extracellular mechanism.

A dermorrafia é vital para o sucesso do procedimento por ser a última etapa cirúrgica. Este estudo comparou a síntese e o processo de cicatrização de pele em cães com a utilização de três diferentes materiais, fio de náilon (grupo GFN), fio farpado (grupo GFF) e grampo cirúrgico (grupo GGC), após ovariohisterectomia. Foram utilizadas 27 fêmeas caninas aptas a serem castradas eletivamente que não apresentavam comorbidades. Os animais foram divididos randomicamente nos três grupos e submetidos à dermorrafia com os materiais a serem testados. Foram avaliados: o tempo para a sutura da pele, as complicações relatadas pelos tutores e a temperatura local da pele em cicatrização. Foram também avaliados diversos parâmetros clínicos de cicatrização em sete dias de pósoperatório, bem como parâmetros histológicos de biópsias de pele coletadas aos 14 dias. O grampo cirúrgico apresentou o menor tempo (p<0,001) para dermorrafia e a maior ocorrência de deiscências de sutura. O fio farpado apresentou o menor escore (p=0,006) de alterações clínicas aos sete dias de pós-cirúrgico e não apresentou ocorrência de deiscência de sutura. Contudo não houve diferença entre os grupos quanto à avaliação histológica da biópsia cicatricial aos 14 dias. O fio farpado apresentou segurança na sutura e fácil manipulação na dermorrafia de cães, enquanto o grampo cirúrgico utilizado mostrou-se pouco confiável devido ao grau elevado de deiscência. / Dermorrhaphy is vital to the success of the procedure because it is the last surgical step. This study compared the synthesis and the process of skin healing in dogs using three different materials, nylon thread (GFN group), barbed wire (GFF group) and surgical staple [SV1] (GGC group) after ovariohysterectomy. Twenty-seven canine females without comorbidities were electively castrated. The animals were randomly divided into three treatment groups and submitted to dermorrhaphy with the materials to be tested.. The following were evaluated: time to suture the skin with each material, the complications reported by the tutors and the local temperature of the skin in healing process. Several clinical parameters of healing were also evaluated in seven postoperative days, as well as histological parameters of skin biopsies collected at 14 days. The surgical staple showed the shortest time (p<0.001) for dermorrhaphy and the higher occurrence of suture dehiscences. The barbed wire had the lowest score (p=0.006) of clinical changes on the seventh postoperative day and did not presented an occurrence of suture dehiscence. However, there was no difference between the groups regarding the histological evaluation of cicatricial biopsy at 14 days. The barbed wire showed security in the suture and easy manipulation in the dermorrhaphy of dogs, while the surgical staple used proved to be unreliable due to the high degree of dehiscence.

A dermorrafia é vital para o sucesso do procedimento por ser a última etapa cirúrgica. Este estudo comparou a síntese e o processo de cicatrização de pele em cães com a utilização de três diferentes materiais, fio de náilon (grupo GFN), fio farpado (grupo GFF) e grampo cirúrgico (grupo GGC), após ovariohisterectomia. Foram utilizadas 27 fêmeas caninas aptas a serem castradas eletivamente que não apresentavam comorbidades. Os animais foram divididos randomicamente nos três grupos e submetidos à dermorrafia com os materiais a serem testados. Foram avaliados: o tempo para a sutura da pele, as complicações relatadas pelos tutores e a temperatura local da pele em cicatrização. Foram também avaliados diversos parâmetros clínicos de cicatrização em sete dias de pósoperatório, bem como parâmetros histológicos de biópsias de pele coletadas aos 14 dias. O grampo cirúrgico apresentou o menor tempo (p<0,001) para dermorrafia e a maior ocorrência de deiscências de sutura. O fio farpado apresentou o menor escore (p=0,006) de alterações clínicas aos sete dias de pós-cirúrgico e não apresentou ocorrência de deiscência de sutura. Contudo não houve diferença entre os grupos quanto à avaliação histológica da biópsia cicatricial aos 14 dias. O fio farpado apresentou segurança na sutura e fácil manipulação na dermorrafia de cães, enquanto o grampo cirúrgico utilizado mostrou-se pouco confiável devido ao grau elevado de deiscência. / Dermorrhaphy is vital to the success of the procedure because it is the last surgical step. This study compared the synthesis and the process of skin healing in dogs using three different materials, nylon thread (GFN group), barbed wire (GFF group) and surgical staple [SV1] (GGC group) after ovariohysterectomy. Twenty-seven canine females without comorbidities were electively castrated. The animals were randomly divided into three treatment groups and submitted to dermorrhaphy with the materials to be tested.. The following were evaluated: time to suture the skin with each material, the complications reported by the tutors and the local temperature of the skin in healing process. Several clinical parameters of healing were also evaluated in seven postoperative days, as well as histological parameters of skin biopsies collected at 14 days. The surgical staple showed the shortest time (p<0.001) for dermorrhaphy and the higher occurrence of suture dehiscences. The barbed wire had the lowest score (p=0.006) of clinical changes on the seventh postoperative day and did not presented an occurrence of suture dehiscence. However, there was no difference between the groups regarding the histological evaluation of cicatricial biopsy at 14 days. The barbed wire showed security in the suture and easy manipulation in the dermorrhaphy of dogs, while the surgical staple used proved to be unreliable due to the high degree of dehiscence.

Abstract The aims of the work were to evaluate the comparability and repeatability of urodynamic studies and to examine whether such examinations are useful for predicting the recurrence of urinary tract infections or the presence of vesicoureteral reflux, to analyse the efficacy of treatments for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), to validate a pre-established clinical decision rule for targeting voiding cystourethrograms efficiently in children and to investigate the occurrence of vesicoureteral reflux. Reports on urodynamic examinations performed on children were evaluated by analysing inter-observer and intra-observer agreement in their interpretations, and 116 children were followed up to examine whether such examinations can be used to predict the recurrence of urinary tract infections and the presence of vesicoureteral reflux. A meta-analysis of publications on treatments for vesicoureteral reflux was made to analyse their efficacy in children. A group of 406 children were examined to validate a pre-established clinical decision rule for managing vesicoureteral reflux in children after the first urinary tract infection and to investigate the occurrence of VUR in children. We found poor agreement among the observers in their urodynamic assessments. Neither the occurrence of VUR nor recurrent urinary tract infection could be predicted from the findings in urodynamic studies. The meta-analysis indicated no significant difference between conservative or operative treatment in terms of the recurrence of urinary tract infections, kidney growth or scarring. Our validation of the clinical decision rule showed that it had good specificity but very modest sensitivity in identifying children with dilating vesicoureteral reflux. The overall prevalence of vesicoureteral reflux was 35%, and its occurrence was similar in children without urinary tract infection. We claim that the occurrence of vesicoureteral reflux in children is higher than the figure of 1% suggested earlier. We could not predict the presence or absence of vesicoureteral reflux from the results of the urodynamic examinations, nor could we predict recurrent urinary tract infections from these findings. We suggest that it is not possible to predict VUR reliably, and that conservative treatment is sufficient for the majority of children with VUR. / Tiivistelmä Väitöskirjani tutkimussarjassa selvitimme lapsen virtsateissä tapahtuvan virtsan takaisinvirtauksen (vesikoureteraalinen refluksi, VUR) yleisyyttä ja yhteyttä lasten virtsatieinfektioihin, arvioimme aiemmin julkaistun tutkimusohjeen käyttökelpoisuutta lasten virtsateiden kuvantamispäätöstä tehtäessä ja teimme meta-analyysin virtsan takaisinvirtauksen hoitotapojen merkityksestä munuaisten kehitykselle ja toiminnalle. Selvitimme myös virtsarakon toiminnallisten tutkimusten arviointien toistettavuutta ja vertailtavuutta lastenkirurgien kesken sekä onko näillä tutkimuksilla mahdollista havaita onko lapsella VUR tai taipumusta uusiutuviin virtsatieinfektioihin. Tutkimassamme 406 lapsen aineistossa virtsan takaisinvirtausta löytyi 39&#160;% :lla virtsatieinfektion sairastaneista lapsista ja 36&#160;%:lla muita tulehduksia sairastaneista. Ero ei ollut tilastollisesti merkittävä ja esiintyvyys on huomattavasti suurempi kuin aiemmin on oletettu. Samassa aineistossa testasimme tutkimusohjetta jonka avulla voitaisi löytää lapset joilla on todennäköisesti VUR. Tuloksemme mukaan tutkimusohje ei ole käyttökelpoinen. Kirjallisuuteen perustuvassa meta-analyysissä julkaistuista VUR tutkimuksista lapsilla, havaitsimme, ettei leikkauksella korjattujen tai lääkityksellä hoidettujen lasten munuaisten kasvussa, arpeutumisessa tai virtsatieinfektioiden uusiutumisessa ollut eroa. Virtsarakon toiminnallisten tutkimusten arviointien toistettavuutta lääkärien kesken tutkimme 15 lapsen aineistossa ja havaitsimme huomattavaa vaihtelua arvioinneissa lääkärien välillä ja samaa tutkimusta uudelleen arvioitaessa. Suuren vaihtelun vuoksi näiden tutkimusten hyödyllisyyttä tulisi arvioida kriittisesti. Lisäksi 136 lapsen tutkimuksessa havaitsimme ettei poikkeava virtsarakon toiminnallisen tutkimuksen löydös ennustanut uusiutuvia virtsatieinfektioita tai virtsan takaisinvirtausta näillä lapsilla. Lapsilla VUR on mitä ilmeisimmin varsin tavallinen ilmiö myös terveillä lapsilla ja sen esiintyvyys ylittää aiemmin raportoidun 1&#160;%:n esiintyvyyden. Virtsarakon toiminnalliset tutkimukset eivät ennusta VUR:n esiintyvyyttä tai virtsatietulehdusten toistuvuutta ja näiden tulosten hyöty on vähäinen. Virtsan takaisinvirtauksen leikkaushoitoon on harvoin aihetta eikä arvioimamme tutkimusohje auta löytämään VUR:a sairastavia lapsia.

A dermorrafia é vital para o sucesso do procedimento por ser a última etapa cirúrgica. Este estudo comparou a síntese e o processo de cicatrização de pele em cães com a utilização de três diferentes materiais, fio de náilon (grupo GFN), fio farpado (grupo GFF) e grampo cirúrgico (grupo GGC), após ovariohisterectomia. Foram utilizadas 27 fêmeas caninas aptas a serem castradas eletivamente que não apresentavam comorbidades. Os animais foram divididos randomicamente nos três grupos e submetidos à dermorrafia com os materiais a serem testados. Foram avaliados: o tempo para a sutura da pele, as complicações relatadas pelos tutores e a temperatura local da pele em cicatrização. Foram também avaliados diversos parâmetros clínicos de cicatrização em sete dias de pósoperatório, bem como parâmetros histológicos de biópsias de pele coletadas aos 14 dias. O grampo cirúrgico apresentou o menor tempo (p<0,001) para dermorrafia e a maior ocorrência de deiscências de sutura. O fio farpado apresentou o menor escore (p=0,006) de alterações clínicas aos sete dias de pós-cirúrgico e não apresentou ocorrência de deiscência de sutura. Contudo não houve diferença entre os grupos quanto à avaliação histológica da biópsia cicatricial aos 14 dias. O fio farpado apresentou segurança na sutura e fácil manipulação na dermorrafia de cães, enquanto o grampo cirúrgico utilizado mostrou-se pouco confiável devido ao grau elevado de deiscência. / Dermorrhaphy is vital to the success of the procedure because it is the last surgical step. This study compared the synthesis and the process of skin healing in dogs using three different materials, nylon thread (GFN group), barbed wire (GFF group) and surgical staple [SV1] (GGC group) after ovariohysterectomy. Twenty-seven canine females without comorbidities were electively castrated. The animals were randomly divided into three treatment groups and submitted to dermorrhaphy with the materials to be tested.. The following were evaluated: time to suture the skin with each material, the complications reported by the tutors and the local temperature of the skin in healing process. Several clinical parameters of healing were also evaluated in seven postoperative days, as well as histological parameters of skin biopsies collected at 14 days. The surgical staple showed the shortest time (p<0.001) for dermorrhaphy and the higher occurrence of suture dehiscences. The barbed wire had the lowest score (p=0.006) of clinical changes on the seventh postoperative day and did not presented an occurrence of suture dehiscence. However, there was no difference between the groups regarding the histological evaluation of cicatricial biopsy at 14 days. The barbed wire showed security in the suture and easy manipulation in the dermorrhaphy of dogs, while the surgical staple used proved to be unreliable due to the high degree of dehiscence.

No description available.

Many surgical procedures in the head and neck regions produce visible scarring. The most common of these surgeries are tracheotomies and thyroidectomies. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in tracheotomy scars, particularly in those who survived severe infection with the disease and required long-term ventilation. Individuals with neck scars are at an increased risk of health consequences such as reduced quality of life, depression, and negative body image. Research on attitudes toward and reactions to individuals with such scarring is limited. The purpose of this study is to examine how people rate images of scarred individuals on personality and attractiveness attributions. In addition, dermatography, or medical tattooing, is an emerging cosmetic intervention used to mask scarring, and has demonstrated positive outcomes in cases of breast cancer. This study further aims to examine how people rate images of individuals with scars covered with medical tattoos. Personality attributions were measured using the Five Factor Scale and various dimensions of attractiveness were measured using the Interpersonal Attraction Scale. Acceptability of medical tattooing as a cosmetic intervention for head and neck scars was also examined using the Decision Satisfaction Scale. Participants consisted of 456 young adults and were presented with two series of images, each consisting of a young adult, the young adult with a neck scar, and the young adult with a tattoo covering the scar. Participants were asked to rate each image directly after viewing. We hypothesized that those without scars and those with medical tattoos would be rated more positively on personality and attraction scales than would those with scars. Multivariate analysis confirms scarring and medical tattoos influence personality attributions. Non-scarred individuals were rated more positively in perceived Agreeableness and Conscientiousness traits when compared to scarred individuals. However, when compared to non-scarred individuals, scarred individuals were rated more positively on the Openness to Experience trait. This demonstrates the variability of impressions that a neck scar can elicit. Reactions to scars covered with tattoos were mixed. Medical tattoo recipients were rated more positively on Extraversion and Openness to Experience traits compared to scarred individuals. They were also rated lower on Conscientiousness compared to scarred individuals. Acceptability of medical tattooing was higher in participants who reported lower levels of religiosity and higher levels of social media use. This study highlights the varying effects that head and neck scars can have on appearance and the use of medical tattooing in clinical practice.